We are all shocked of the loss of the 2022 World Cup bid – and the extent of it. But I am afraid to say the hostile reaction shows that we are a bunch of very sore losers, and it’s rather embarrassing.
Disappointment is fine. I myself was very disappointed. I’d love to take my son to the World Cup here as an 11-year old. It could be the insurance policy that he won’t turn his eye to rugby league, a thought that haunts my biased mind as I sleep.
But all this bitterness is not okay at all, it’s how spoiled children behave – a trait I will be attempting to strain out of my son, like lumpy bits in orange juice.
Predictably it started within seconds of the announcement. Website news.com.au had a story of some Islamic fundamentalist blogger, who had written it’s the perfect chance for them to get us all.
I mean come on, investigative journalistic credibility? A blogger! This story was pure bigotry.
Corruption. This seems to irk the Aussies most. Seems plausible perhaps, but corruption of some form is endemic to these things.
You can make all the accusations you like, but the fact is you don’t know, and while questions may legitimately arise, there is no reason to be pointing the finger and shouting. It’s called dignity.
You can’t drink beer there. Well I read apparently they are facilitating the demand to drink, which I admire, for it is against their culture.
For them to come here, would we ban alcohol and put away all those advertisements of breasts convincing me to buy those shoes, just to ensure they enjoy their stay and we don’t offend? No, we wouldn’t and would react badly to anyone questioning our culture – ‘Australia, love it or leave’.
Qatar is too small. That’s a big claim coming from Australia. We are small, in population, and I didn’t hear us mention it when against China for the Olympics. Given the phrase, little Aussie battler, it’s un-Australian isn’t it to be down on the little guy?
It’s too hot there. Sure, but the air conditioning plans are intriguing, and innovative using solar power, which could be a great technology expo. As every where will probably be that hot one day, it could be a very useful experiment.
I’ve read reports that the Aussie bid was the lowest money maker of all. This is highly significant, I mean come on, how could you expect voters not to consider that?
The reaction highlights how ignorant we are of the Middle East. Most think it a silly dangerous place where people kill each other and cause problems. We are normal, they are weird. Well that’s simply wrong, sad and immature.
I welcome efforts to change this ugly perception westerners have.
Football can be the smoking peace pipe, I perhaps erroneously believe that, I think FIFA does too, and I applaud any effort to defeat what divides us and cure our ignorance, even if it is at my personal loss, which this is.
While you may suspect, you don’t know, despite your superior nose, if the Qatar bid was inferior or superior to others, and neither do I. The fact we actually came last indicates something wasn’t right, corruption or not.
I know Aussies are so proud these days, but many others don’t rate us as highly as we do ourselves.
We boast we are the most relaxed people in the world, so why not say, ‘good on ya mate, hope all goes well’. You can mutter under your breath ‘wanker’ as you toddle away if you must, but show some dignity, respect and make us proud, not bitter.
That means you especially, professional commentators.
Millster
Guest
Just to be clear dasilva (and a warm hello by the way) I don't personally like conservatism either. But what I equally don't like is the sense of some western travellers, whether general tourists or to specific events, of a kind of cultural 'entitlement'. That is, that there is some duty of the hosting country to amend their culture and their practises to accomodate the guests to their countries. Its a complex argument but I say no to this idea for two reasons. Firstly due to the obvious western arrogance in it, and second because if all we experience when travelling is a quasi-westernism then the world becomes a very boring monochromatic place indeed. [I should disclose that my thoughts on this have become seriously stronger through living in Paris for the past year and seeing the behaviour and biases of visitors from a number of the 'usual suspect' countries, of which Australia is nearing the top of the list... I'm sure some of you who are also based abroad are hearing the derogatory term JAFA more and more...] Long-term of course I fully support dialogue and progress in areas of human rights and human responsibilities in all countries.
Dingo
Guest
Baloney! mahony, I love Australian Football, pal.
Betty B
Guest
Phil, or should I just call you Hope, You need to know that I'm not here for the pick-up, so you can stop trying to be nice. I said I'll happily skip your blogs - got it. I'd never heard of news.com, but I've read articles from their contributors (that unbiased leading light, the Murdoch press) and don't see anything untoward from any Australian official. All other comments are personal and do not represent Australia. My comments are fired largely by the tirades of Millster and UK Steve, plus your lead article. No doubt you can laugh - jolly good for you. I can do all that stuff too - even grew up in a hicker town than yours no doubt, lived in several countries each for several years and none western - but I'm not here to sprout, just read and comment on decent articles. No offence meant, and none taken. yeah ok - I'll look out for your next article.
Phil Osopher
Guest
Thanks, I appreciate that. Nice to know someone notices. Advice taken.
Phil Osopher
Guest
Funny you say that Bet. I'm actually quite used to people disagreeing with me. I grew up in a hick town and a hick family that I found that i was opposed to their opinions, so I learned to just shrug the shoulders and have a laugh years ago, and my family, although a bunch of redneck hicks, are lovely people who I get along very well with, despite their polar opinions to mine. I like to read Ayn Rand, a right wing thinker that I strongly disagree with, who believes selfishness is the greatest asset of the human race. I totally diagree, but she can think and write, so I accept that and read it and digest it. Low and behold I learn a lot to, learn that maybe my opinions are wrong in fact. So yes Im quite good at accpetance and tolerance actually. Now, the article is about innappropriate reaction to loss. I'm offering no other opinion, and state as such if you care to actually read. Now if you think that bigotry is fine, I'm happy for you to debate your case. If you think it wasn't bigotry, that's fine, tell us why. You may note I made no reply to those who replied they think the reaction was fair. That's their opinion, I don't agree with it, I think the reaction was distasteful, but that's fine. But when one writes an article about dignity and people come out with bigotry and unrelated accusational nonsense, than sometimes you just have to have a go don't you. How do you go with people disagreeing with you Bet? Oh and by the way we're still waiting on an answer on who runs news.com.au. from your well thought out piece.
dasilva
Guest
it is bizarre Well, I can't find the article where the USA tried to eliminate Qatar early on as it happen a while ago However I found this article here. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/News/188948,fifa-rep-turns-heat-on-qatar-bid.aspx It says "Some FIFA insiders believe there may be a move to bar Qatar from the bid process on technical grounds if the evaluation report raises too many high-risk problems." There was certainly talks about eliminating Qatar on technical grounds
mahony
Guest
Hear Hear. The only media I object to the the tolling out of AFL identities to crap on the world game yet again. The jurnolists asking real questions have my support.
dasilva
Guest
Of course if bribery is legal, then bribing someone is not illegal. The point is it still corrupt as the process is flaw.
mahony
Guest
the US delage did what? That is not what is being reported now? Seems he may have voted for Qatar? Bizzare I know.
mahony
Guest
Garbage. The AFL may not have lost it for us, but they did their best within the 'national interest' context they were stuck with. And frankly, there are enough empassioned 'defenders of the faith' from all codes on this site. You memory is a little selective pal. Take you football hating to the AFL tab while you are at it.
mahony
Guest
The process is a farce - but I don't confuse the aspirations of Russia and Qatar with the process. We got done plan and siomple. FIFA needs reform and we should not bid untill that happens. The national tourism and transport lobby's want up to bid again - but reform should come first.
Betty B
Guest
I guess you'd rather not have your writing challenged Phil - no problems, now I've got your drift I'll happily skip your future blogs. Dare I suggest you try another name - D Aggy, N O'Truth, Ben Ditmore or just plain Hope Less
jimmy
Guest
bogans cant afford the tickets mate
Chuq
Roar Pro
It's not Australia losing that people are whinging about. It's the manner in which we lost. The three strongest bids according to FIFA's technical review panel were, England, USA and Australia. Between them, they got 6 out of 44 votes in the first round. The two weakest bids according to FIFA's technical review panel were Russia and Qatar. Between them they got 20 out of 44 votes in the first round. Remember Australia rushing around to get the 12th venue for our bid - following the rules given about number of venues required in different cities? Qatar has 6 venues in one city. Apparently the rules are just there for looks?
sydboz
Guest
The party has only begun Phil, trust me. When the worst world cup bidding nation of all time wins the world cup hosting rights via vote rigging, collusion and bribery, putting the very lives of players, fans, officials and many more at risk, what did FIFA expect? For most people this was the final straw and giving the world cup to Qatar is the worst decision in the history of all FIFA decisions. If Egypt got the world cup hosting rights, I nor anybody else would have any issue. Egypt have a fantastic footballing side, they have passionate parochial football fans who pack out grounds, they actually have their own nationals within their team, they have fantastic tourism venues, it would have greatly assisted their nation, they already have fantastic relations with Israel and it would have been an absolutely amazing world cup venue for the first Arab world cup. But that can no longer occur because Qatar stole the world cup hosting rights with the most technical flawed, inept, hair brained, land of the fairies bid with one of the worst footballing sides in world football, who haven't even qualified for a world cup and much much more thanks to their bribes and vote rigging. As I said this will not be a boring 12 years that's for sure. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/11/qatar-worst-on-counterterroism-in-the-middle-east/67166/
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Phil, I love your work----never take any notice from those who were obviously brought up in a house with no humour.. I was unhappy with the decision, before I fell back on a quote I live by, which I read many years ago---author unknown.. "Some goals are so worthy, it's glorious even to fail." It always makes me feel at ease when I have failed at a task I desperately wanted to achieve in..
simplesimon
Guest
Phil, I don't think that using our reaction to the WC bid is a good indicator of Australia's general reaction to losing (which I think is what you are saying). I am not the world's biggest football fan, but would have loved to have won the bid. Being part of a world event/party is incredible. To lose out in voting a process that is completely untransparent, and open to major influence by wealthy interested parties is not a pleasant feeling. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and also a sense of futility that we never had a chance. Frank Lowy has deep pockets but nowhere near the depth of qatar's oil barons, russia's moguls etc. Our reaction to this loss has been quite normal, in my opinion. Very similar, in fact, to England's at their loss: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3260095/7-FIFA-bigwigs-who-vowed-support-to-Prince-William-and-the-England-World-Cup-bid-team.html
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Umm Yes. If, as you say, bribery is legal, then bribing someone is not illegal. It is (supposedly) well known that the FIFA officialdom are open to incentives. Then if paying those incentives is part of the decision process, that is the process. You may belive it is immoral (and you will get no argument from me) but I don't know if it is actually illegal. I admit I am making some assumptions i.e. that the incentives are properly documented and declared etc. I assume that you have gone to a restuarant and have tipped the waiters, are you not offering and incentive to get better service? The bottom line for me is that the FFA knew or should have known the process. They decided to take the high road and not out bid in the terms of incentives - a fair and honourable decision, but flawed if you want to get more than one vote.
Tim
Guest
Wow, Phil. In your initial article you probably made a few good points. The reaction from SOME parts of the football community and SOME parts of Australian media has been a little cringeworthy and embarrassing, yes. But if you take the time to actually read most of the papers, most of the media are actually looking internally and asking what went wrong within Australia, rather than plastering the ongoing blame on FIFA. However, what was a good assessment of what was obviously a grief process for a lot of people who held high hopes, has since turned into complete bigotry and racism from you with your responses to anybody who has dared question your point of view. It is clear you are not a naturalised Australian (and don't wish to become one) - your ridiculous, steretyped comments about aussie undies, flag on the flagpole and southern cross tattoos was more embarrassing than anything I've seen said in the past 5 days. While that is your choice, how dare you preach to everyone else while pretending to be something you're not! If you want embarrassing, you only need read over those highlighted comments in blue which you yourself have posted in response to everyone else. Meanwhile, the rest of us will get on with hoping the A-League gets the attention it deserves from the FFA.
phil osopher
Roar Guru
Uumm, let me think about that.....yes. You can handle a dispute with dignity or you can carry on like a bafoon. The issue is still the same, it's how you handle yourself. Let's think of an analogy. If you want a pay rise, do you present yourself to the boss and ask politely and state your reasons in a well thought out manner, or do you kidnap his children and hold him to ransom, or bust into his office with a baseball bat and start slamming? The answer is the first, trust me, I tried the latter and it doesn't do your reputation much good.